Monday, July 20, 2009

Sweet Tooth


I'll admit it...I LOVE really good gelato! It doesn't matter if it's summer or the middle of winter, I gleefully enjoy a petite scoop of this creamy perfection any time of the year. So you can imagine my sheer delight when the most incredible gelateria opened near our house - Cici (pronounced the Italian way, "chee chee").
This gelato is artisanal...meaning Michael and Liana (the owners) make every flavor from scratch in the kitchen above the shop! They use organic ingredients including Straus milk and cream (which is my ULTIMATE favorite dairy farm), organic eggs, and local fruit. The flavors change with the seasons according to what is available fresh from local farms. Some of the flavors yesterday included: Toasted California Pistachio, Organic Blackberry (yes, it's the stunning purple one in the photo! AND they just happened to hand-pick the blackberries on their way to work that morning!), Organic Coffee & Honey, Organic Fresh Spearmint & Chocolate Chip, Organic Strawberries & Cream, Fior di Latte (the Straus dairy sweet cream which is always offered and one of my very favorites), Organic Lemon Sorbetto, and at least 6 other flavors that will make your taste buds swoon!
I'm not sure if having this delectable gelateria near me is a good thing or not because every where we go, I compare the gelato to Cici...and I've yet to find anything that supersedes any of their creamy scoops. Michael and Liana are not only my gelato heroes, but they also operate Cici as a green business (less packaging, compost food waste, eliminate paper waste, and recycle - not to mention they deliver gelato locally via a very cool bike!) because they honor and respect our one Earth.
As you can imagine, supporting this local independently-owned business is a delicious pleasure!



[photo by Reverie-Daydream]

65 comments:

  1. Delicious pleasure, indeed! I'm not sure what I'm craving more: Toasted California Pistachio or Organic Lemon Sorbetto. Which did you indulge in? Cici looks divine.

    Cheers.

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  2. omg, I want some gelato RIGHT NOW!!!

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  3. I love gelato! Almost stopped for some today, but my option didn't have quite the unique flavors as the one by you! At least gelato is not as bad for you as ice cream, right!?

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  4. Oh my God Mel....you are so lucky ( or maybe not so lucky for your waistline !!!! ) I wish we had a CiCi near me....Every flavour looks delicious and I love the fact that they use organic and seasonal products and that they are conscious of the environment.Have a few scoops for us here in the U.K......... By the way , why will your husband be interested in my post today ? Is he interested in history and British pubs .....I'm sure it wasn't the dining rooms or my boots !!!!! XXXX

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  5. I can walk to CiCi which sucks and rules all at the very same time. The other night they had Salted Almond and I fear I'm going to be chasing that dragon for the rest of my taste bud life--SO GOOD!

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  6. They even deliver? Very "cool", especially on a bike. I enjoy gelato too. xoxo

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  7. Hi Mel.. It all looks very delicious!!! I want some now.. maybe not... it is 8am here. I know what you mean that nothing ever compares. I have a friend that is a chef... and use to eat at her restaurant often. Now nothing ever comes close to her wonderful works of art! Glad you have found your gelati heaven!!

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  8. Oh wow, that looks and sounds amazing, I am a very big ice cream fan.....we are going to Italy next week and all my children can talk about is the ice cream.....where HAVE they got that from??!!

    I have to thank you all the lovely comments you have been leaving on my blog, great to hear from you - you always make me smile!!

    I love the look of your blog, am off to read some more of it now.

    Lovely meeting you Mel :)

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  9. good god! you have no idea (or maybe you do!) how badly i want to try all of these flavors!

    p.s. love your THISTLE comment!!! hmmmm. what can i do with that word. hmmmmmmmmmm.

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  10. You are so funny Mel...I now know why your husband was so interested !!!!

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  11. Sounds amazing. I have fallen in love with the Oatmeal Cookie Ice Cream from Ben and Jerrys, but yours has that beat by a long shot.

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  12. Oh my I'd say yes it's a good thing. Your descriptions are making my mouth water. I love gelato!

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  13. Oh Mel, I just want to dive into their Gelato!

    I have one nearby too, it's just divine. That is so great they run it green, cheers for that! The bike delivery sounds adorable.

    Have a great day, xxx

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  14. So lucky to have this sweet indulgence close by. Love the pics.

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  15. Love your blog! Great photos. That purple gelato looks so enticing! Grape? mmmm...

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  16. I need to cool my cookie brain down and this is just the way to do it!!! Blackberry please! Your post came at just the right time! xoxoxo

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  17. Thank you so much for always being so gracious and kind on my little blog. Your comments are very much appreciated. :)
    And, last but not least, love this post. The lemon sorbetto gelato needs to be shipped to me ASAP! Deliciously delightful.

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  18. I SCREAM for Ice CREAM!!!
    ...sorry can't think of something the would rhyme with Gelato darling....
    XO*

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  19. There's a dynamite gelato place a few blocks away from my apartment, and I plan on trying every flavour they have. Oh-so good!

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  20. I could eat gelato all day!! not kidding. the photo of the mounds of delight is unbelievable! what a fun business to own. to be so creative and fill people's bellies with good things is the perfect job. will have to keep this place in mind if I'm ever in the area.

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  21. Oh what a yummy post! We don't have anything like Cici's near me. ;(
    I am so glad I "met" you this past weekend.
    Now, I am going to go peek at more of your beautiful blog.
    Thanks again for your kind, encouraging words, on my blog.

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  22. I love gelato too! My mouth is watering, love the delivery on the cool bike x

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  23. Yummy! Love gelato! You are so lucky to have such a wonderful place so close by. Have fun!! Take care, Caroline

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  24. I love gelato. It's so delicious. I'm in the mood for some right now.

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  25. Yum!!!! This looks like perfection, and how cool to have gelato delivered by bike. That purple is lovely.

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  26. gelato is such a favorite--and to have a shop so close to see if any "new" flavors are created is just beyond! enjoy the sweets!

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  27. One of my favorite, favorite things about Italy...Gelato! I will have to hunt down CiCi next time I'm in the area. Love the concept and it sounds delicious.

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  28. Gelato is the best. I once had it in Paris, France and I don't think my taste buds will ever be the same!

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  29. I am hungry now for that!! yummy, I also love the fact that all is homemade to perfection and changes with season. Love is made into that Gelato xx

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  30. Home owned businesses are the best. Always take pride in what they do! x

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  31. such a tempting picture on a very hot day

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  32. YUM!!! Looks magnificent. I'm not familiar with Straus, I will have to look them up. Definitely good to support your local shops for a great many reasons. Cheers!

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  33. oh my goodness, that photo looks DELICIOUS!

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  34. if i could get my hands on some gelatto, i'd eat it in a heartbeat! the spearmint and chocolate sounds particularly appetizing.

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  35. Such a delicious post.... gelato in the middle of winter is strangely my favorite! lol-xxx

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  36. Oh, how wonderful! I adoooore gelato!

    xoxox,
    CC

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  37. I think that sounds perfect right about now!

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  38. How did I miss this one?? Yummy! So natural and so perfect on this mid summer day!
    My favorite is watermelon~
    xox's

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  39. I love the name! It's so cute. The best I have is the ice cream truck that comes around every now and then. As you can imagine, that is very good for the waistline since it's not nearly as enticing!

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  40. Blackberry! Yum. :) Thanks for the sweet comments! Like your interview on Her Name was Lola.. olive oil! That's great. Oh and the Dewey book is good! Have a good day!

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  41. I adore your list from A to Z!!!
    The best is "the importance of respecting your elders, saying please and thank you, yes sir/ma’am – no sir/ma’am, and smiling at everyone you pass"

    My dad alwasy said Goodmorning to everyone even if he didn't know the person and me and my brothers we do the same!

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  42. I love Blueberries and that purple color is divine. My sons and I would walk over the rialto bridge at midnight in Venice in search of delicious gelato. I will forever have lovely memories of the delightful treat!!

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  43. ahh that gelato is like a work of art...i can just stare at it forever!! yummmm. enjoy!
    xox
    www.froufroufashionista.blogspot.com

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  44. Ahhhhhhhhhh, want some now! Closest place is 20 min. away. Noooooooooo.

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  45. holy crap! yes. i would bury my face in those bins of creamy love.
    and i read something up there about oatmeal cookie ice cream something??? i would slap someone for that.

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  46. Your blog is darling! This post is killing me too bc I love(ed) gelato, but don't eat refined sugar any more. Oh well, at least I can look at the lovely pictures.

    xo,
    cristin

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  47. Um, wow. This is killing me. I'm drooling. Do they ever have hazelnut? Because I would drive quite a distance for a good cup of hazelnut/nutella gelato. O.k. I'm going to have to visit ci ci. Thanks for the lovely post.

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  48. Just found you through Petunia Face. Looks like we might be neighbors. And, oh, the gelato. I could die happy with the strawberries and cream. Sigh.

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  49. Such a great list!
    I love gelato! This picture makes me hungry!
    Have a wonderful day darling!

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  50. yummy!! I adore Gelato! I hope you have a great night!! hugs!! Britt :-)

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  51. One of the best things about Italy! Lucky you-to have it right next door~ or nearby anyway! Yummmm...coconut please-maybe a little chocolate on the side.

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  52. mmmhhhh...anch'io adoro il gelato...e questo sembra davvero buono! ;^)

    Saluti da Milano!

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  53. YUMMY!! And the picutures are beautiful!

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  54. You've got me hungry! There's nothing like good gelato.

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  55. I love icecream even when it's cold too! Makes me happy :)

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  56. Here in Scottsdale/Phoenix I have Sweet Republic ofr ice cream & Arelecchino for gelato...both small both make small batches throughout the day & both add to my waist line in the happiest way.
    Arlecchino actually imports their pistachios. First time it caressed my tongue I nearly died.

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  57. Wow, this looks so good! I would go there every day during the summer.

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  58. I missed this post when I first visited...
    Just having come back from Italy, where our mission was the search for the daily gelato, and now having visited CiCi every day since our return, I have decided that gelato is one of those things in life that is a necessity.

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  59. I had a boy try to take me to ice cream today. I demanded gelato from the North End instead :)

    Lovely blog.

    E

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  60. That's it. I know what I'm doing this weekend (and it's only monday!) But I've already figured out how long it will take me to get there via googlemaps! thanks for the heads up on what looks like a sublime gelato experience!

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  61. I have one down the street from me too, and i'm quite seriously obsessed... raspberry, and nutella, and lemon poppy seed... mmmmm...

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